For years, both the bezel and the chassis, for aircraft instrumentation, have typically been octagonal in shape. This has been the case since, many of the aircraft have utilized octagonal shaped insertion holes in the instrument panel. The octagonal shape and some beneficial aspects when the instruments were round mechanical dials. During the last several years, CRTs have frequently found their way into aircraft cockpits. The octagonal shape of the typical aircraft instrument was able to accommodate the CRT, which typically had some curvature on its edges.
While the octagonally shaped bezels and chassis have enjoyed a very extensive use in the past, they have several very serious shortcomings, especially when liquid crystal displays are used. First of all, the liquid crystal displays, by their nature, are rectangular in shape and do not best utilize the space available in an octagonal bezel. Also the use of octagonal chassis often requires circuit board modifications in order to conform to the octagonal shape.
Consequently there exists a need in aircraft instrumentation apparatus which would provide for increased utilization of the viewing space on an aircraft instrument bezel and allowing for a reduction in circuit board modifications in order to conform to an octagonal chassis.